


Miracles.

by sailorjinsoul



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 80s, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, F/F, Retro, idk what ships i'm including yet lmao, no specified location bcs i wanted to mash together lots of different aesthetics lol, side 2jin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:33:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24082138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorjinsoul/pseuds/sailorjinsoul
Summary: 1989. Sooyoung has just moved away from the countryside and arrives in the largest city in the country. But she soon runs into one of the city's most notorious gangs.
Relationships: Ha Sooyoung | Yves/Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul, Ha Sooyoung | Yves/Kim Jiwoo | Chuu, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jiwoo | Chuu, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip, Kim Jiwoo | Chuu/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. into the new world.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, thank you for reading :)
> 
> I've had this story idea sitting around in my notes for years, ever since I watched the movie "Miracles" (hence the title). Also, more recently, the video game Yakuza 0 inspired the setting for this fic, so I finally decided to start writing it. Bear with, it might be a slow burn and I still haven't 100% decided where I'm heading with the plot whoops. Idk how I feel about this opening chapter, part of me wanted a darker tone to it, but one of my friends read it and found it interesting enough.
> 
> Follow me on twitter @jinsouIsdyke and let me know what you think!

Sooyoung has only been in the city for a matter of minutes, yet she already feels a headache coming on. Perhaps it's the blinding neon lights shining from almost every building. Or maybe it's the mishmash of bubbly synth-pop intertwining with blaring police sirens. Or maybe it's the fatigue from her six-hour journey getting the better of her. 

With a deep breath, her heavy box suitcase in hand, she heads straight into the heart of the bustling neighbourhood.

Taking note of the many different faces passing by her, Sooyoung was reminded just how different city life was to the countryside. She had been used to the same old faces her whole life. Not much happened, not much changed. But here, there was an excitement. Animated conversations were everywhere you looked. She was also gaining a few weird looks from those passing by and she looks down to the denim dungarees she was wearing over a white t-shirt. She stuck out, as most girls here were wearing short glamourous dresses or flashy suits. The huge straw hat on her head didn’t help matters either. 

Trying to find a friendly face among the crowd, her eyes settle on a young suited man stood outside what seemed to be a restaurant.

“Excuse me.”

The man smiles brightly, bowing as he welcomes her and ushers her into the building. Sooyoung repeatedly shakes her head and waves her hands, making him stop.

“Do you know where this address is?”

She receives a raised eyebrow from the man and in return shows him a small, embarrassed smile, realizing her country accent had come off stronger than she’d have liked. His eyes glaze over a scrap of paper she pulls out of her front pocket and he gives Sooyoung detailed instructions to where the building was, not far from here. She bows, muttering several thanks before hurrying down the road.

She was nervous, to say the least, coming to the city. But it had been her grandparent’s wish, that when she was old enough she got out and explored, instead of being stuck in the countryside forever. Sooyoung didn’t mind the countryside. It was calm, peaceful, and she never passed a face that she didn’t know. However, her grandfather’s encouragement made her finally take a step out of her comfort zone. Thinking back on it, he had seemed a bit too eager about the whole thing. Once she hit twenty-two, a few weeks ago, he had been putting on the pressure. Sooyoung had found it odd but put it down to him not wanting her to miss out during her younger years, afraid that if she didn’t leave now, she’d never pluck up the courage to leave.

She reaches a side street, slightly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the nightlife. The sultry song playing from a nearby nightclub grew distant and faded the further in she got, eventually hitting a dead end. The girl stands in front of the last building. It was two-story, with a set of rusty stairs leading to the top apartment, like the rest of the buildings on the street. It wasn’t anything spectacular, nothing like the explosion of colour she had just walked through. Except the rose-coloured bike leaning against the wall. The building was grey, with window frames and wooden doors. Besides the bottom door was a small grey slate, with the number 19 etched into it. 

Sooyoung knocks, and a few moments later, the door swings open, revealing a black-haired girl, slightly shorter than Sooyoung, holding on to a piece of toast. Her eyes open wide at the sight of Sooyoung, and she quickly stuffs it in her mouth. Sooyoung notices she was wearing a white buttoned-up shirt and a navy blue police jacket over it, with a tie slung over her shoulder and a police cap slanted on her head.  
 _A police officer as her landlord?_ Sooyoung took comfort in that idea.

“You must be Sooyoung?”

Sooyoung nods. It might have been because she was talking with her mouth full, but Sooyoung is taken aback with how deep the girl’s voice was. 

“I was wondering when you’d get here” she finally swallows “Nice to meet you. Come in”

Sooyoung entered the apartment, taking a look around. Much like the outside, the interior was simple too. No flashy colours, just simple white walls and wooden floorboards. There was one main room, which had a small square oak table by the window. A fridge, oven and kitchen counters were backed up against the opposite wall. There were two doors, which Sooyoung presumed lead to the bedroom and bathroom.

“Oh, I’m Heejin by the way. Jeon Heejin” the girl says, rummaging through one of the counter drawers.

“So…you’re a police officer?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m a rookie. My night shift starts soon” Heejin hands her a key “This is for your flat upstairs. It’s pretty much the same as this old place”

Heejin turns her attention to the full body mirror that is at a slant in the corner of the room. She begins fiddling with her tie, the small grunts she was making were evidence of her struggle.

“Here let me help”

Sooyoung drops her suitcase and raises her hands, swiftly doing up the girl’s tie. Her grandfather served as a local community officer in their neighbourhood when she was younger, so she had learned to do up his tie quickly on days he was running late.

“Ah thanks” Heejin replies, a slight blush become apparent in her cheeks “Look, I hate to rush this, but I need to go. It’s my day off tomorrow though, so we can get a drink and talk about your tenancy? And…get to know each other?”

Sooyoung nods with a small smile, picking up her suitcase before the two head out of the apartment.

“Hope you sleep well!” Heejin shouts once Sooyoung had climbed the steps up to her flat.

The police officer flashes a bright smile, her eyes curling, before jumping on her bicycle and riding off.

___

“What do you think it is?”

Jinsoul’s thoughts are interrupted as Jungeun raises her voice first. The blonde notes the white Nissan Skyline parked outside by the gates before she turns her attention to inside the meeting room, where the girls were sat. The morning sun shining through the window catches a golden envelope laying on the low mahogany table in the middle of the room.

Hyunjin reaches over and picks up the envelope that marked with the clan’s symbol – a diagonal line going through a thin half crescent moon within a triangle.

“It’s clearly a letter, you idiot,” she remarks, waving it in front of the brunette who sat opposite her.

“A love letter?” Yeojin pipes up, her eyes lighting up at the thought "It looks fancy"

Jinsoul walks towards the youngest, who was sat at the end of the table. She gently brushes the girl’s shoulders and collar, wondering how the girl had managed to get crumbs on her uniform.

“Don’t you have school?” She asks, as her hands rise to pat the girl’s head “The driver’s waiting for you by the gates”

“Fine...I’ll get going”

The youngest girl pouts as she stands up, her orange backpack swinging on her back. Jinsoul had never seen Yeojin at school, but she imagined she stuck out like a sore thumb with that hideous backpack. As she reaches the door, she turns around to look at the older girls.

“But don’t open it without me!”

With that, she scurries out of the room. Jinsoul lets out a soft laugh, watching out the window as Yeojin runs towards the car.

“Right! Let’s open it!” Hyunjin says, drawing Jinsoul’s attention back inside.

She takes a seat as the redhead pulls a small pocket knife from the inside of her silk amber blazer, ready to tear the top of the envelope.

“Wait” Hyejoo, sat next to her, grabs the girl’s wrist “Let’s wait for Haseul and the boss”

Hyunjin looks at Jinsoul expectedly, who nods once. Hyunjin clicks her tongue, returning the pocket knife and placing the envelope back on the meeting room’s table. The four girls each sit back in their respective chairs surrounding the table.

A few silent moments pass by, before the door slams open, revealing Haseul, wearing her trademark green blazer. Jinsoul could tell something was not right. Haseul would never act so brash. She was the personification of calm and collected. Jinsoul notices her breathe hitch momentarily when the girl lays eyes on the golden envelope before she takes a seat opposite Jinsoul.

“What is that?” Haseul asks, nodding her head in the direction of the letter.

“A letter. I found it when I woke up” Jungeun spoke up “It was stuck to the main door”

“Where’s the boss?” Hyejoo asks immediately after.

“Gone,” Haseul replies after a brief pause, her gaze meeting Hyejoo’s.

A bemused chuckle comes from Hyunjin.

“Gone? Vanished?”

“Has the boss been kidnapped?” Jungeun jumps up from her seat.

“Sit down.” Jinsoul sighs.

Jungeun nods and slowly sits, muttering an apology.

“No. All her things are gone. Her bedroom was practically empty”

Hyejoo, Jungeun and Hyunjin exchange bewildered looks.

“And this letter probably has something to do with it”

Haseul picks it up, turning it in her hands a few times before she gently opens it. Jinsoul catches a glimpse of the handwriting that occupies the sheet of paper. There was no mistaking it; that was the boss’ handwriting.   
Haseul’s expression shows no changes as her eyes scan the letter, causing growing frustrations from the others.

“What does it say?” Jinsoul impatiently blurts out, after bearing enough silence.

Haseul just hums, seemingly gathering her thoughts and trying to find the right words. But before she has a chance to speak, Hyunjin snatches the letter from her grasp. She skims over it quickly, gasping in disbelief before handing the letter to Hyejoo beside her. The younger girl takes her time reading it, digesting everything, and Jinsoul notes that, much like Haseul, Hyejoo doesn’t show much change in expression. That is beside the furrowed eyebrows as she finishes and passes the letter across to Jungeun. Jungeun, being the most expressive and dramatic out of the five (although Jinsoul was close competition), gasps every few seconds and spills out a few "whats" and “no ways” in between. Once she finishes, all four girls slowly look to Jinsoul, who finally grabs a hold of the letter. She looks at them each individually, her eyes squinting in suspicion. She ponders the concerned faces of the others in the room. Why were they so worried?

There’s a nervous atmosphere as silence temporarily falls on the room, everyone’s gaze still stuck on Jinsoul as she slowly reads. But the silence is sharply broken by the blonde’s sudden outburst upon finishing the letter.

“WHO IS YVES?”

___

Sooyoung leans back against the brick wall opposite Heejin’s apartments, tilting her head up and taking a deep breath. The alley was engulfed in a soft pink glow as the sun began to set. Although looking to alley’s entrance, she could see the pharmacy’s neon sign piercing through that glow.

Sooyoung closes her eyes, reflecting for a moment on the day she had. She’d got up early this morning and gone for a walk, exploring the neighbourhood and making note of where things were. She’d stumbled upon a convenience store, down one of the many winding side streets, who were advertising for a job. She somehow managed to charm the owner with her accent and her experience working on a farm in the countryside, and he had handed her the job within a matter of minutes. Sooyoung wasn’t expecting to find a job this quickly – she’d saved enough to cover her first month’s expenses – but she didn’t mind being hired. It would keep her busy and would allow her to meet people around.

Hearing the door open, she uses her foot to push herself off the wall, opening her eyes to meet Heejin coming out of her apartment.

“Sorry, were you waiting long?” the officer asks.

Sooyoung smiles gently, shaking her head. She lets Heejin take the lead as they head for drinks. Earlier in the day, Heejin had said they were going to a small, cosy bar so Sooyoung’s first night out wasn’t too intense. Sooyoung questioned what she had meant by that.

 _“There’s a lot of characters around. The people that occupy bars and clubs are either gang members, off duty police or pervs. Sometimes all three”_ Heejin had explained _“Don’t want you running into any trouble this early on, and I certainly don’t want to be running into trouble on my night off”_

Sooyoung had heard a lot about the city’s notorious gang problem. To her, gangsters and mob members were always described as sleazy but well-dressed men, covered head to toe in tattoos. It was the one worry her grandfather had before she left. Be wary of the nasty gang men, he reminded her before she got on the bus to the train station.

“We’re here”

Sooyoung’s thoughts are interrupted as the two girls stop on the corner of an intersection. The bar seemed dull, modest compared to the chaotic eye candy the city chucks out. The only thing signalling that this is a bar and not an unhabituated building is the bright neon red sign above the door that flickered every few seconds. _Vivid_. That and the faint bass coming from inside.

“It might not look like much” Heejin enters the bar “But it’s a good place to think or for a calm night out”

Sooyoung glances around whilst the bartender greets them. Much like the outside, the interior was simple, with slick red L-Shaped sofas in the two corners opposite the bar being the only things that stood out.

“This is my usual”

Sooyoung took a seat next to Heejin on one of the bar stools, noticing her drink had already been poured for her.

“What do you want? It’s on me tonight”

“A-Are you sure?” Sooyoung’s eyes widen.

“Of course! You’re going to be paying me rent soon anyway” Heejin stuck out a tongue, to which Sooyoung laughed.

She turns her attention to the bartender, asking for a simple glass of red wine. She didn’t drink much back in the countryside. The only drinks she was familiar with were the basic wines and a few beer brands.

A few sips in and both girls begin to relax. They casually discuss Sooyoung’s living arrangments and why she had come to the city. Heejin explains that her older sister had lived in Sooyoung’s apartment, before going off on a world trip. She knew her sister would return and would want to live with her again, so she had bought the apartment upstairs to stop anyone else buying and staying in it.

A few more sips in and any nerves had been obliterated, as Sooyoung’s country accent started to show when she reacts animatedly to some of Heejin’s stories from the police force. In exchange, Sooyoung offered stories of her time farming in the countryside, much to Heejin's delight.

One glass in and they were up, singing a bad rendition of I Should Be So Lucky by Kylie Minogue on the karaoke machine tucked away in the corner next the bar, much to the amusement of the bartenders and fellow customers sat on the sofas.

It has only hit 9 when they decide to pack it in. Heejin, being able to handle her alcohol, isn’t drunk, just a bit energetic. Sooyoung, on the other hand, rarely drank and her low tolerance is showing. They bid their goodbyes to the staff and stepping out of Vivid, the cold sends a shock through Sooyoung’s warm body.

Before heading home, Heejin had persuaded the taller girl to come to the arcade with her, insisting that she wanted to try and win something from a claw machine. Sooyoung gave in pretty easily, and now she found herself being dragged inside the nearest one. It was small, with only three claw machines along one wall, three racing games along the opposite wall, and three Mario games against the wall opposite the entrance.

Sooyoung bemusedly watches Heejin struggle to win the cartoon plushie she longed for. She can’t even recall how many coins the younger girl had put into the machine, and she finally intervenes.

“I’ll show you how it’s done”

Sooyoung walks over, gently nudging Heejin out of the way. Heejin nudges her back and, if it weren’t for the wine, Sooyoung would have barely moved. But her sense of balance failed her this time around.

“Hey!”

Both girls snap their heads towards a short, young-looking girl. Her light brown hair is tied in two space buns and she wore an orange blazer. Well, a now soaking wet, almost brown blazer as Sooyoung had knocked into the girl, making her spill the cola in her hand onto it.

“Scum!” The girl shouts “Do you know how much this costs?”

“Y-Yeojin” Heejin stutters “It was an accident-”

“I’m not talking to you, doggie. I’m talking to her!”

“I-I’m sorry”

“Yeah, well sorry won’t cut it! This was really expensive, are you going to pay for it?”

“I-I don’t have enough, I’m sorry”

The teenager – Sooyoung presumes – clicks her tongue, looking like she’s going to burst. But then a glint catches her eye, as she looks towards Sooyoung’s hand. A simple gold ring, with a small circular burgundy gemstone. The girl immediately calms down, a smirk rising on her face.

“I’ll tell you what” She begins, walking over to one of the racing games “Let’s duel.”

She takes the blazer off, revealing a black turtleneck, and hands it to one of the three tall, suited men accompanying her.

“Pardon?” Sooyoung blinks at the younger girl, trying to understand what she was getting at.

“Race me!”

“And how will that solve anything?”

“If you win, this will be forgotten” the girl begins to smirk again “If I win...I get your ring”

“What?”

Sooyoung lifts her hand, looking at the ring. The ring was precious. It was a gift from her grandma when she was younger. Before her grandma had gone missing.

“N-no, not my ring”

“What else do you suggest?” the teenager tilts her head, showing a little pout “Are you gonna pay me? Or should I get our dear Heejin to pay up?”

Sooyoung hears the officer’s breathe hitch behind her. The girl was probably underpaid by the police and wouldn’t be able to afford it. Even if she had enough, Sooyoung would have never let her pay, believing this was her fault. And besides, Ha Sooyoung sticks up for herself.

“Y-Yeojin-”

“Fine. Let’s race” Sooyoung replies without hesitation.

The short girl jumps in glee, her eyes shrinking as she smiled. Sooyoung stumbles over to the racing game, trying to gather her composure. She didn’t have much chance to play arcade games in the countryside, but when she had ventured into the nearby towns, she would only play the racing ones. Despite the sticky situation, she’s relieved the small girl had picked this to duel in.

The race starts and Sooyoung tries hard to centre her focus on the screen in front of her. She feels her hands become clammy, her grip on the handle becoming slightly loose. She tries to refocus her attention, but the wine makes it difficult to do so. She begins blinking a lot more rapidly, and before she knows it, Yeojin has gained a huge distance on her. She grits her teeth and scrunches her face, jamming the accelerator, but to no avail.  
Sooyoung loses.

The youngest girl jumps out of her seat and stands next to Sooyoung, hand outreached. Sooyoung bites her tongue, slowly removing the ring and placing it in her palm, not paying her a second’s glance. She hadn’t realised but her eyes had begun to water slightly. This didn’t go unnoticed by Yeojin though as when she looks up at the girl, she notices the tears forming at the corner of her eye. Her smile disappears as a hint of guilt began to invade her heart.

“H-Hey I know...you had something to drink...so the circumstances weren’t in your favour” Sooyoung tilts her head to look at the girl who was now stumbling over her words “So what I’m saying is...come back tomorrow”

“Excuse me?”

“Come back tomorrow. 5 pm. Completely sober. And we’ll race again...so you can win your ring back”

Sooyoung simply nods, picking herself up out of the racing chair. Frustratingly, she was starting to feel sober, and she heads out of the arcade, with Heejin quickly following.

“Sooyoung. I’m sorry, we were supposed to have an uneventful night” her voice turning into a mumble.

Sooyoung stops in her tracks, takes a deep breath and turns to face the police officer.

“Heejin. It’s fine” she flashes a wide smile at the girl, a smile that seems genuine to Heejin “It was my fault anyway. I knocked into her”

Sooyoung turns back around and Heejin catches up, linking her arm with the other girl as they continue walking.

“You said the girl was...Yeojin? Do you know that brat?”

“Oh yeah” Heejin chuckles out of embarrassment “She’s one of those gang members”

“What? She looks twelve!”

Heejin lets out a heartier laugh this time “She’s seventeen”.

“Seventeen? And in a gang?”

“Long story. It can wait. Let’s get you home and to bed”

 _Home_. For Sooyoung, this place felt like the farthest place from home.

___

“Who is Yves?!”

Jinsoul has a sour expression on her face. She had been visibly seething the entire day, after reading the contents of the letter this morning. The boss had left and told the girls to find a girl named Yves, as she would take over the clan. It was now 11 pm and the senior clan members sat on the floor around a small table, having just finished dinner, each girl wearing their trademark taekwondo uniform. They hadn’t much time to talk, as the entire clan had been thrown into disarray at the sudden departure of their boss.

Haseul, sat at the opposite end of the table to the blonde, sighs as she wipes her mouth with a handkerchief.

“No one knows. But I guess we’ll have to find her-”

“It doesn’t make sense! I should be next in line” Jinsoul exclaims, slamming her empty glass on the table “Or you Haseul! Someone in the clan, at least”

Haseul smiles, knowing that, although Jinsoul seemed upset about not being next in line, the blonde would have genuinely supported any one of the girls becoming the next boss.

“Uhm” Hyejoo speaks up “I get that you’re angry Jinsoul...but are we not more concerned that the boss ran away?”

“She didn’t run away” Haseul replied.

“What?”

“She had been talking about this for years. To me, Jinsoul, and some other higher-ups. She always reminded us that she didn’t want to die for the clan. She said she’d always leave before that happened. Leave and return home. And we’ve been preparing for a while. The only things we didn’t know was when it would happen and this...Yves situation”

Hyunjin rolls her eyes at the mess they’d found themselves in, sighing deeply. She turns her attention to the youngest member who was sat across from her. Yeojin had her arms folded, her head drooped down.

“Hey brat” she leans over, flicking the girl's exposed hand “Why are you so quiet?”

Yeojin winces in pain, lifting her head.

“No reason” she pouts “Oh, I saw your police friend today. At the arcade”

“Heejinie?” Hyunjin’s expression lights up, ever so slightly “You didn’t give her any trouble did you?”

Yeojin stays silent, averting her gaze to her lap as she looked down eyes.

“Yeojin!” Jungeun scolds her "We need Heejin!"

“She was with another girl and that girl ruined my blazer!” She argues “S-So I challenged her friend to one of the racing games. But she was a bit drunk. And I won. So I took her ring”

Hyunjin chuckles when Yeojin pulls it out of her pocket.

“Poor girl. Let me see”

“It seemed like it meant a lot to her, she looked like she was about to cry” Yeojin passes it over “So I said I’d meet her again tomorrow and we’d play again so she can try and win it back”

“Oh” Hyunjin nods in approval, turning it in her hands “This is pretty nice. You should keep-”

The girl then stops for a moment, eyes widening, as she notices something. She shows it to Jungeun sat next to her, who reacts in a similar way.

“Haseul” her voice almost a whisper. She hands the ring to the older girl on the other side of her.

Haseul raises her eyebrow, taking the ring and inspecting it. And soon she spots what was odd about the ring.

“Jinsoul?” she slides it down the table “Take a look”

The blonde had been zoning in and out of the conversation. She furrows her brows, picking up the gold ring in front of her. She turns it in her hands. And as if on cue, her eyes widen in shock. So much that Haseul thinks they could pop out her head any second. The girl had always been quite animated, her and Jungeun being the complete opposites of Haseul and Hyejoo, with Yeojin and Hyunjin lying somewhere in the middle of the dramatic spectrum.

“Yeojin” the blonde coos, to which the youngest hums in response “We’re coming with you to meet this girl tomorrow”

“What? Why?” Hyejoo questions, confused at what was going on.

Jinsoul holds the ring towards the two youngest girls who were sat next to each other.

“What does it say?”

Both girls squint and realise at the same time. The name engraved inside the ring.

“Yves”.


	2. eyes on me.

The continuous boing of Mario’s jump is beginning to get on Sooyoung’s nerves as she stands by the claw machine, arms folded and tapping her foot against the floor rapidly. A group of kids are gathered around the game, and Sooyoung is tempted to turn around and tell them to get on with it, as she swears they’ve been on the same level for past half an hour. But she doesn’t, and instead fixes her gaze on the door, not being distracted by the kids nor small groans coming from the police officer next to her. Heejin had felt bad about yesterday’s events so, despite her shift starting in a few hours, she had accompanied Sooyoung back to the arcade.

Unfortunately, she’d been tempted by the pink plushie still sitting pretty in the claw machine and was back to spending coins. Sooyoung thought the girl looked exceptionally adorable today in her pastel pink sweater and knee-length white skirt. It was a sharp contrast from the girl’s police officer attire.

Sooyoung glances at the clock above the arcade’s entrance. _She should be here any minute_. The two had arrived much earlier, with the taller girl not being able to think about anything else besides winning the ring back. If Yeojin hadn’t offered a rematch, Sooyoung thinks she might have tried to fight the teenager yesterday. When they first arrived, Sooyoung practised on the racing game a few times but began feeling agitated. She stopped playing, instead opting to wait impatiently near Heejin. Every time she received an odd or concerned look from the arcade employee, she simply returned a small but awkward smile.

The clock hits 5 and the automatic doors slide open, revealing Yeojin dressed in a similar orange blazer to yesterday. This time though, her light brown hair was down, instead of tied up. She was followed by 5 taller girls, each dressed in a different coloured blazer. Sooyoung tries to stifle her laugh, thinking they looked like a knock off tribute band. There was a red-head in silk amber, a brunette in silk scarlet, a girl with a bob cut in velvet emerald and a blonde in velvet navy. They all wore black turtlenecks underneath, much like Yeojin. Except for one girl. She had her black hair in a low ponytail and wore a simple grey suit with a buttoned-up white shirt underneath. They all wore small silver badges on their left lapel, but Sooyoung couldn’t make out what symbol was engraved into them.

At the sight of the girls, all the kids stopped what they were doing, taking a second to process who had just entered before they all made a beeline for the door. Even the employee on shift slammed whatever sparkly synth-pop was playing off and ran for the entrance, leaving Sooyoung bewildered. All the sound had been zapped from the arcade. Well, except for Heejin, who hadn’t noticed what was going on.

Sooyoung turns her gaze to Heejin who’s mumbling “yes” repeatedly as she watches the claw slowly bring the plushie to the corner of the machine and drop it. Heejin squeals in glee, grabbing the plushie and jumping up and down. Sooyoung, slightly embarrassed for the police officer, clears her throat. Heejin whips her head around and freezes as her gaze falls upon the six girls. Her eyes widen and she gulps before one of the girls speaks up.

“Hey Heejin,” the red-head says, a teasing tone in her voice.

“H-Hyunjin” the officer’s voice comes out weakly “What are you doing here? All of you?”

Sooyoung’s eyes fall on the blonde taking a few steps forward, and Sooyoung can’t help but find her stunning. Objectively, Sooyoung thinks they’re all good-looking. Heck, she’d never stumbled upon such gorgeous people like this in the countryside. But there was something slightly more captivating about the girl in blue. It was probably her hair; she hadn’t seen many blondes in the city. Or maybe it was her sharp jawline. Her eyes? Sooyoung soon found she was losing herself in the girl’s features.

“We’re here to support our baby” her voice is soft but brings Sooyoung out of her daze. She gently pats Yeojin’s head, who rolls her eyes.

“You new to the city?” it’s the girl in red who speaks up next, eyeing up Sooyoung. She looks her head to toe several times, causing Sooyoung to look down at her own clothes; a white t-shirt with maroon and white plaid trousers. She hadn’t bothered shopping for new clothes yet, comfortable in her country style.

“Yeah” Sooyoung sighs “Seems like you guys have a bit of a reputation”

“What’s your name?” the girl in green speaks up, ignoring Sooyoung’s comment.

“Ha Sooyoung”

Sooyoung notices the raised eyebrows from the girls, confusion painted on their faces as if her name was something weird, something alien. All she could do was scoff.

“Let’s hurry up and play!” Yeojin demands, walking over to the racing game. Sooyoung swiftly follows, along with the rest of the girls who gather around Yeojin’s seat. Heejin stands behind Sooyoung’s seat and gently massages her shoulders.

“Let’s go Sooyoung! You’ve got this!”

Sooyoung is having a stare-down with Yeojin, but out of the corner of her eye, she notices a change in expression, a frown, on the face of the redhead for a brief second. The girl steps forward, imitating Heejin’s action.

“Yeojin. Show her who’s the real boss”

The race starts and Sooyoung does a better job at focusing her attention this time. She disregards everything happening around her (and by everything that meant Heejin’s cute but off-putting praises), eyes narrowing in on the screen in front of her. She and Yeojin are neck and neck for most of the race, but heading into the last lap, Yeojin starts to build up a lead. She can’t help but think that she should have practised more or asked the arcade employee for some tips. Sooyoung bites the inside of her cheek, slamming down the accelerator, but the gap remains. Suddenly, she hears a yelp from beside her and notices Yeojin’s car stop, allowing her to overtake on the final stretch and win the race.

There’s a moment of silence, everyone trying to comprehend what just happened before Heejin shouts.

“You did it...You did it!” she shakes Sooyoung by the shoulders repeatedly, almost in disbelief.

“Someone scratched me!” Yeojin protests, turning around to the older girls “Who scratched me?”

The blonde just sighs “What are you talking about? You lost”

“Don’t be a sore loser and embarrass yourself” the redhead says.

“But someone scratched-”

“Go sit in the car,” the girl in green tells her, to which Yeojin pouts as she stomps out of the arcade.

“Wait, my ring-” Sooyoung calls after her, getting out of the seat.

“I have it” the blonde replies and pulls it out from inside her blazer “But first, a few questions”

Sooyoung raises an eyebrow.

“What’s your name?”

Sooyoung scoffs, “I already told you!”

“Your real name.”

“Ha Sooyoung!”

“So,” the blonde takes a few steps closer, her eyes piercing through Sooyoung’s as she tilts her head “Who is Yves then?”

Sooyoung takes a step back, her breathing momentarily stopping. She hears Heejin let out a small “huh?” from beside her.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business” Sooyoung stands back up straight, gritting her teeth.

“Oh but,” the blonde sighs, looking back at the girls behind her before meeting Sooyoung’s gaze again “It is. It, unfortunately, became our business”

“Just shut the hell up and give me my ring!”

Sooyoung’s voice almost echoes in the arcade as there are few silent moments before the redhead breaks into an almost maniac-like laugh.

“Is she crazy?” she says, eyes switching to Heejin “Heejin, you should have taught your friend some manners”

Sooyoung is slightly annoyed at the girl’s reaction as she only drops her head. Sooyoung didn’t know the history between these girls and Heejin, but something was off. Shouldn’t an officer of the law be taking action against gang members?

“I don’t know what you want,” Sooyoung looks back towards the blonde in front of her “but you’re really irritating”

The blonde steps back, her lips forming a small pout.

“We tried doing this the easy way”

“What?”

“Hyejoo...”

The girl in grey steps closer to Sooyoung. She reaches into her blazer, slowly pulling out a black handgun. Sooyoung feels a blunt force to the head, and the last thing she hears is a shout from Heejin before everything fades to black.

_____

“Are we sure it’s even her?”

Jungeun she finishes tying up Sooyoung to the chair in the middle of the room. It was one long rope, wrapped around the girl’s midriff and arms several times. Not too tight to hurt or leave marks, but enough to prevent her from wriggling her way out. After all, Jungeun had done this many times.

“She’s just a girl from the country” Hyejoo adds, holding the girl upright.

“I’m sure,” Haseul replies.

There is a certainty in her voice and Jinsoul wants to ask how she knows, but she also trusts Haseul. The girl always knew slightly more than anyone else and it had always worked out for the clan. Like last week when they went to kick a squatter out of a building they recently acquired. The man had been stubborn, sticking up for him and his family, and the girls had tried budging him for the whole week. They were prepared for things to get violent. But Haseul handed Hyejoo a stack of money, telling her that the man would leave if they paid him. Jinsoul had found it useless, thinking the man would never accept such a bribe, he clearly had morals. But it turned out the man was just playing his cards right, knowing he could swindle some money from the clan, and left without a fuss.

So Jinsoul holds back, hoping that Haseul knew something.

After Hyejoo had knocked Sooyoung out with the grip of her gun, she carried the girl out of the arcade and threw (placed) her into the back of the first black car they had arrived in. Yeojin had been playing Super Mario Land on the Gameboy Jinsoul recently gifted her, trying to cheer herself up. But when Sooyoung’s head had dropped onto her lap, she let out the most inhuman shriek.

The girls brought Sooyoung to an abandoned building the clan owned on the outskirts of the city. It was Jinsoul’s idea, justifying it by saying its the best place in case something goes wrong. The others had protested at first but gave in as no-one had any better ideas and they all needed some answers.

The girls hear a groan and all turn their attention to the girl tied up in the centre of the room.

“My head...” she mumbles, blinking repeatedly. When she adjusts her eyesight, she looks around and realises she’s tied up “What the-”

She begins shaking, trying to free herself.

“It’s no use” Jinsoul speaks up, and looks towards Jungeun and Hyejoo who are now stood against the wall “Those two did a good job”

“Why am I here? What do you want from me? I just wanted my ring back!” The girl shouts, her voice almost trembling though and her eyes slightly glossy.

“We’re sorry for all this” Haseul says, knocking past Jinsoul and glaring at her for a second before walking up to Sooyoung “We just need to clear some things up”

“Like what?” she replies, her voice timid now.

“Please tell us who Yves is. We need to know”

Sooyoung takes a deep breath, looking at each of the girls individually. She realises the one in amber is missing but doesn’t dwell on the fact as she has more pressing matters to think about.

“Yves is kind of a nickname? Except I don’t get called that. My family has a history of having a lack of girls born into it. My grandma was the first after several generations, and so they gave her the middle name Yves, like Eve the first woman. I was the first girl to be born into the family after my grandma since she had no sisters, no daughters and none of my cousins are girls. The ring was hers, but she had the name engraved in it and gave it to me before...” Sooyoung’s voice trailed off.

“Before?” Jinsoul speaks up, wanting the girl to finish.

“Before she disappeared. I was seven”

A silence falls over the building, the girls all looking down in a mixture of guilt and sympathy. They all knew what it was like to lose someone.

“I’m sorry” Haseul finally speaks up.

“It’s okay” Sooyoung replies “But why do you need to know?”

“Because our old boss named you as our new boss,” Jinsoul says, an irritation returning to her voice.

“Excuse me?”

“She left us a letter, telling us to find Yves”

“Are you sure it’s me you are looking for?”

“No-”

“Yes,” Haseul glares at Jinsoul “Yes. It’s you Sooyoung”

“But...I don’t know anything about gangs” Sooyoung begins to panic “You’re all dirty criminals! I just came to the city to explore!”

“Hey! Have some respect!” Jinsoul bites back.

“Jinsoul!” Haseul sticks a hand out, preventing Jinsoul from approaching the girl.

“She doesn’t know jack shit! And look at her! She’s a stick, one hit and she’s done!” Jinsoul takes a moment to let out an obnoxious laugh “You know what, I’m done with this. It’s stupid”

The blonde storms off outside. Haseul looks at Jungeun, knowing full well she is the only one capable of calming the blonde down. She nods towards the door and Jungeun swiftly exits, leaving just Haseul, Hyejoo and Sooyoung in the building. Haseul looks at the younger girl next and points to Sooyoung. Hyejoo walks up to the girl and begins untying her.

“Uhm” Sooyoung speaks up “Where is Heejin?”

“She went back home” Hyejoo replies “To get ready for work. Hyunjin was with her”

 _“Just what is up with her and you guys...”_ Sooyoung whispers, not loud enough for the other two to hear. She assumes Hyunjin was the girl in amber, seeing as she wasn’t here, and Heejin’s relationship with these girls seemed more than suspicious.

“With all due respect Miss...” Sooyoung focuses back on the situation at hand “I don’t think I’m cut out to be a gang leader”  
Sooyoung is finally free, and Hyejoo helps her stand up. Haseul hands her the ring and Sooyoung swiftly puts it back on her pinky finger.

“Hyejoo” Haseul looks at the younger girl “Go with Jinsoul and Jungeun and gather the whole clan at the cabaret. No matter the outcome here, we are going to have to update them. Might as well do it with drinks”

Hyejoo simply nods and leaves, with Haseul returning her gaze to Sooyoung.

“Call me Haseul. And I understand. You are free to leave” Haseul says “Just know that...other gangs in the city will have caught wind of the situation by now. And they will try to find you. Returning to the countryside won’t help you much either. But if you stay, I mean if you agree to be the boss, I can protect you. I can help you”

“You seem to have more want for me than the others”

“Because I know more than them. I know things that, at the right time, I will tell the others. And you. I know you have your doubts, but please give us a chance. After all, the boss did ask for you. I don’t know why she would do that but she must know and trust you somehow”

Sooyoung takes a moment to think. She had no relation to any gang member. At least that she knew of. It all seemed a bit suspicious and any other day Sooyoung would have walked away. But something was nagging at the back of her mind. It was probably the pain at being hit over the head, but what if something happened to her grandfather, or the rest of her family, back in the countryside? Even though it was a small possibility, it was still a possibility and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if they got hurt. How bad could joining a gang be? She’s screwed either way and Sooyoung can only sigh, knowing this will probably be the worst decision of her life.

“Okay”

Haseul smiles, offering a hand out which Sooyoung reluctantly shakes.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

_____

Jinsoul groans before sticking her head in the crook of Jungeun’s neck, who was sat next to her. She could smell the younger girl’s perfume; it was the deep, musky one. The one that came in the small round blood-red bottle. _Poison_. It was Jinsoul’s favourite. Not to wear, she prefers light, flowery scents. But it was her favourite out of all the ones Jungeun uses.

She was angry but being around Jungeun calmed her down. She found all the girls comforting – even bratty Yeojin would try her best to console the girl when she was upset. But Jungeun just had that something extra.

Jinsoul thinks that if Jungeun ever betrayed the clan, she would end up helping the girl.

“You know,” Jungeun speaks first, playing with strands of Jinsoul’s hair “I’m not surprised she reacted the way she did”

Jinsoul, too comfortable in her current position to talk, can only hum.

“Heejin said she only arrived in the city a couple of days ago” Jungeun continues “She must be really confused”

Jinsoul finally lifts her head, looking into the brunette’s hazel eyes.

“But,” she pouts a little “She didn’t have to be so rude. We aren’t dirty criminals, right?”

Jungeun nervously chuckles, taking a few seconds to think - a few seconds too long for Jinsoul.

“Okay fine” Jinsoul sits up, dramatically flailing her arms “We might be bad people, but still! She could have answered the question without causing such a fuss”

Jungeun just nods, her gaze switching to the redhead sat opposite them.

“So Heejin isn’t going to get us in trouble, right?” she asks, taking a sip of her gin.

“Of course not,” Hyunjin stops eating, looking back at the girl “She knows her place”

Jinsoul snorts and the two girls look at her bemusedly.

“Imagine falling for a police officer!”

Jinsoul laughs, swinging her head back and Jungeun has to quickly stick a hand behind to stop her whacking her head on the wooden booth they were sat in. The blonde had asked a bottle of wine the moment they arrived at the cabaret, and Jungeun only now notices that it is half empty. She calls over one of their men and gives him the bottle to take away, asking him to bring some water over instead.

“Who’s fallen for a police officer?” Hyunjin bites back.

“You!”

Jinsoul is in hysterics, laughing with her mouth wide open, as she leans over the table, and Jungeun can only give her a light slap on the arm in hopes of shutting her up. It wasn’t really laughing, it was just Jinsoul letting out small high-pitched screams in between bouts of silent laughter, and as much as Hyunjin found it annoying, Jungeun always found it funny. 

“You look ugly.”

One line from Yeojin is enough to shut the blonde up, as she pouts and sits back up straight. Jungeun sends glares to the youngest, who simply shrugs her shoulders and return her attention to the Gameboy in her hands.

“I don’t like Heejin!” Hyunjin protests “Ew!”

They hear a door slam and the whole cabaret falls silent. They soon spot Haseul, stood on the raised balcony to the left of the room. Jinsoul gulps the water Jungeun had gotten for her before she notices who Haseul is with. Sooyoung. She realises they must have stopped off at the house, as Sooyoung is now dressed in a slick white velvet suit, with a maroon shirt underneath. Her long black hair is now in a low ponytail, and the ring was back on her hand. She also has a pair of black round sunglasses, but they seem a bit too small for her face.

Jinsoul’s grip on the glass gets tighter. Something about the girl is irritating her. It was probably the way the country girl had waltzed her way into the clan, with no one having any idea how. She was a nobody and Jinsoul had only known of her existence for a day, but somehow she was getting under the blonde’s skin.

“Everyone,” Haseul speaks up “At the request of our old boss, I’d like to introduce our new boss, Ha Sooyoung”

Haseul looks at the girl beside her, signalling for her to speak. Sooyoung gulps, as all the clan members get out of their seats and gather around the balcony. Sooyoung is nervous, she feels small sweat beads forming on her forehead.

“Uh...it’s nice to meet you all” her voice comes out shaky and meek. She bows at a 90-degree angle and hears a few chuckles from the crowd. When she feels Haseul tap her back, she stands back up straight, pulling a piece of paper out of her blazer pocket. “I would like to...”

Sooyoung squints her eyes, trying to read what Haseul had given her. She takes off the sunglasses, hoping it would clear her vision, but she’s interrupted.

“Why’s she reading from a script?” one of the goons speaks up.

Haseul can only sigh before giving the girl a slight nod. Sooyoung shoves the note back in her pocket.

“Uh...the truth is I have no idea how to run a gang. But I will try my best! And I will also try to turn this gang from a group of c-”

“I think that’s enough for today” Haseul interrupts “The boss has had a hectic day, she needs some rest”

“Wait” another goon speaks up “Let’s see what she’s made of”

“Excuse me?”

“Let’s see how strong she is!”

Some of the members clear the cabaret’s stage area, with two of them bringing up a table and two chairs. Jinsoul, Jungeun and Yeojin remain in their seats off stage, but Hyunjin takes off her blazer, throwing it over Yeojin before she approaches. Hyejoo follows. Sooyoung, who has no idea what’s happening, is ushered down the balcony and onto the stage. Hyunjin rolls up her sleeves up to her biceps, and Sooyoung swears she can just about see the outlines of tattoos.

“There is,” Hyunjin takes a seat, brushing her hair behind her shoulders “no way you’re going to beat me. Oh and I’m Hyunjin by the way”

The girl smirks, as she places an elbow on the table, and Sooyoung registers what is about to happen. She sits down opposite the girl, mirroring her position. Their hands clasp together, Hyejoo holding them in place.

“Three,” she begins counting down “Two...one...go!”

She lets go and both girls tense up. Sooyoung scrunches her face using every last muscle trying to overcome the redhead. She feels her hands become clammy, the sweat beads now dripping down her forehead. The girl opposite isn’t budging though, and slowly Sooyoung feels her arm bending back. But she doesn’t give in, digging her heels and gritting her teeth. She hears Hyunjin gasp and suddenly the momentum swings and the back of the redhead’s hand slams against the table.

Sooyoung feels a sense of deja vu as there’s a moment of silence. 

“Who scratched me?” Hyunjin bellows, kicking her chair back as she stands up. She looks around the crowd gathered, “Who?!”

“Don’t be a sore loser and embarrass yourself” Yeojin mimics the girl’s tone from earlier in the day as she looks up from her Gameboy.

“I swear I will beat you to a pulp!” Hyunjin grits her teeth, jumping off the stage.

“Save me!” Yeojin dives behind Jinsoul and Jungeun, as Hyunjin comes charging towards her. Jungeun tries to hold them both away from each other, shoving a hand in each of the girls’ face.

“Again” Haseul speaks up, standing besides Sooyoung, “I think that’s enough for today”

She helps Sooyoung up, and they try to make their way off the stage but are interrupted once again.

“Wait!”

Jinsoul stands up. Yeojin and Hyunjin stop their scrapping, turning their attention to the older girl.

“That proves nothing,” she says, Haseul noticing the taunting tone in her voice “If she is going to be our new leader...she needs to be able to fight”

The blonde places her hand on Jungeun’s shoulder, who can only groan before she lets go of the two younger girls. She heads towards the stage that is being cleared whilst a goon takes Sooyoung’s blazer and glasses off her.

“Jinsoul!” Haseul shouts “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes.”

This time everyone gathers around the outskirts of the stage, as someone pushes Sooyoung into the centre.

“I’m sorry for this” the brunette starts, tying her hair up into a high ponytail “And I’m Jungeun by the way”

Jungeun throws her blazer behind and the two take a fighting stance, staring at each other for a few moments, before Jungeun lunges forward, hitting the girl in the nose with her fist. Sooyoung stumbles back and sighs. It had been a while since she’d fought someone and she can only hope her skills aren’t too rusty. She ducks under the brunette’s next swing and strikes her in the cheek with her elbow, clearly catching the girl off guard as she staggers a bit.

“Jungeun!”

Jinsoul throws the girl a bamboo stick and she catches it with both hands near the centre. The brunette swings it at Sooyoung several times, pushing the girl back. Sooyoung is caught a few times, but ducks under the last swing and slides over to the other girl, striking her in the back of her knee. Jungeun loses her balance but manages to kick out a leg that hits Sooyoung’s midriff, causing her to stumble back whilst Jungeun gets back to her feet. Jungeun continues to make a few high kicks at the girl, some hitting the girl’s chest but Sooyoung manages to block most. The girls don’t notice Jinsoul push Hyejoo into the centre of the circle.

“Isn’t two against one too much?” the younger girl asks, taken aback.

“No.” Jinsoul simply replies, but there is an agitation in her voice.

Hyejoo simply grunts before she approaches Sooyoung from behind, grabbing the girl’s arms and holding them above her head. Jungeun takes a few free kicks at the girl’s stomach, but Sooyoung catches Hyejoo off-guard as she kneels, somehow throwing Hyejoo over the top of her head, and the girl lands at Jungeun’s feet, almost knocking her over like a bowling pin. She gets back to her feet with a growl, and now Sooyoung is facing the two girls, a sense of adrenaline rushing through her. There’s a smirk on her face that Jinsoul notices, and it only fuels her irritation. Hyejoo and Jungeun both take turns trying to get punches in, some successfully hitting but most of them being dodged by Sooyoung. Hyejoo lunges forward pushing the girl back into the sole table that was still at the back of the stage, but before Jungeun can get a kick at the girl, she rolls over the table and then slides back under it. She’s now on the floor behind the two girls and she swings her leg round, knocking Jungeun over and then lands a kick in the face. Hyejoo pulls Sooyoung up, punching her in the face numerous times as she stumbles back. Sooyoung manages to grab a hold of Hyejoo’s neck, pushing her other hand into Hyejoo’s face before she places a leg behind the other girl’s. She drags her leg towards her body, knocking Hyejoo’s balance and the momentum from Sooyoung pushing into the girl’s face causes her to land on the floor. Sooyoung grabs a fistful of the other’s shirt, about to take another swing at her face.

“Enough!”

Sooyoung lets go, allowing Hyejoo’s head to hit the floor. Haseul pushes her way through some of the crowd and helps Sooyoung up. One of the goons hands Sooyoung her blazer and glasses again, and Haseul leads her away from the crowd. They knock past Jinsoul on their way off the stage.

“Jinsoul...” Haseul voice is quiet, but Sooyoung thinks she emits an intimidating aura “We’ll talk about this later”

The blonde doesn’t respond as her gaze is fixed on Sooyoung, who is also looking directly back. They look at each other for a few seconds, Sooyoung showing her a small smirk and gently biting her bottom lip before Haseul drags the girl away and out of the building.

Jinsoul takes a deep breath before she runs over to Jungeun who is trying to sit up, wrapping her arms around the girl.

“Jungie” she pouts a little, as the brunette bends her neck left and right “I’m sorry”

“It’s okay” the girl can only chuckle weakly in response “That girl...is really something, huh?”

“Thanks for the concern Jinsoul!”

Hyejoo spits out on the floor, slowly getting back to her feet. Jinsoul giggles, helping Jungeun stand up. She then launches herself at the younger girl, one hand around her shoulders and the other around her waist, as she places her head on her shoulder.

“Don’t be like that Hyejoo” she coos “You did a good job”

Hyejoo is silent for a moment before she glances at the older girl.

“Did I?”

Jinsoul lips curl into a bright smile as she nods.

“Yes. You’ve improved a lot” she moves back, linking arms with both Hyejoo and Jungeun “Let’s go eat!”

The girl keeps a bright smile on her face as the girls leave, followed by Hyunjin and Yeojin still play fighting, but the blonde’s mind is spinning with thoughts. Just who had they stumbled across in Ha Sooyoung?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again :) Gonna be honest, I'm starting to hate how I'm writing this but it's the first thing I've made progress in for a long time. So I'm gonna stick at it. I did enjoy writing the fight scene though (inspired by the movie Miracles).  
> Also I discovered a few new albums of 80s inspired songs and have a playlist called "I fell down an 80s inspired rabbit hole" lmao, so from now on I'm just gonna name the title after which one I've been listening to.  
> Anyway, thank you for reading and follow me on twitter @sailorjnsoul !


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